Ketchikan city officials mull cruise passenger fee ruling

KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) – Ketchikan city officials are mulling the potential impacts of a federal court decision on use of cruise ship passenger fees.

U.S. District Court Judge H. Russel Holland ruled that while Juneau can keep collecting the fees, their use must constitute a service to the ship. The decision restricting use of the fees came in a lawsuit brought against Juneau by the cruise industry.

Other communities, such as Ketchikan, have their own passenger fees. There is also a state head tax.

Juneau officials have not announced whether they’ll appeal.

The Ketchikan Daily News reports that Ketchikan City Council members had wide ranging reactions to the decision. They varied from wanting to talk with the industry on next steps to perhaps looking at whether to cap the number passengers who visit.
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Information from: Ketchikan (Alaska) Daily News, http://www.ketchikandailynews.com